Low-Cost Ways to Improve Workplace Culture and Boost Employee Morale
The great resignation has been an eye-opening experience for employers and employees across the nation. For employees, there’s never been a more empowering time to stand up for your values and walk away from a job that doesn’t meet them. For employers, striking a balance between workplace benefits and profitability to retain staff has never been more challenging.
One of the best ways to boost employee morale is by focusing on workplace culture, which is often defined as the shared beliefs and values that set the tone for the entire organization. The good news for employers? Some of the suggestions require little to no investment on their part.
Below are five low-cost ways to improve workplace culture and boost employee morale.
Celebrate and reward
There’s no better and easier way to boost an employee’s confidence then by celebrating them on a job well done. While an acknowledgment email or shout-out can sometimes suffice, it’s good to spread the love with rewards when possible. These can include anything from a gift card, movie tickets, a desk plant, or other small but meaningful gifts that help team members feel seen and valued.
Support mentoring opportunities
There are countless benefits of mentoring in the workplace. Not only is it a cost-effective benefit for your staff, but it can also help your team’s overall job satisfaction and productivity. While mentoring can seem like a chore and unnecessary task for some, it can drastically improve your workplace’s culture, goal achievement rates, and staff retention.
Personal onboarding welcomes
Depending on the size of the company, some recruiters may think it’s more appropriate to share a smaller or more intimate welcome compared to a company-wide announcement. However, executives should understand that a staff member’s assumption of company culture begins the moment they start with the company.
Taking the time and email space to share a short, meaningful, and personal introduction to new staff members can tremendously help improve workplace culture – for FREE!
Offer flexibility
Managing a healthy work-life balance has never been as prominent as it became post-pandemic. Working from home opened the eyes of millions of Americans who spent the majority of their days commuting to and from work, not to mention the full day they spent at the office and in and out of in-person meetings. While many companies insist on going back to the office, employers should consider the employee’s preferences and overall values. Giving staff the option to choose where and when they want to work.
Provide an anonymous (and digital) suggestion box
In the workplace, there’s a big difference between telling your employees that you value their feedback versus giving your employees the tools to easily and anonymously share their feedback. For many employees, raising their hands to bring up their thoughts or concerns can be too intimidating.
By providing a digital anonymous suggestion box, you give a voice to those employees too shy or apprehensive to bring things up. An easy and sometimes free option for workplaces looking to improve employee morale and workplace culture.
